While I typically favor the precision of a keyboard and mouse for my PC gaming—accounting for about 98% of my gameplay—there are occasions when a controller is more suitable, especially during platformer sessions on my 65-inch TV. In those moments, sinking into my couch with a gamepad in hand offers a comfortable, console-like experience that I truly enjoy.
However, I’ve encountered challenges in the past with certain controllers that didn’t function smoothly right out of the box. I’ve learned that the secret to overcoming these issues lies in properly configuring them within Steam before diving into gameplay. Here’s a straightforward guide on how to set up your controller in Steam:
How to Set Up Your Controller in Steam
- Launch Steam and click on Settings located in the top left corner.
- Scroll down and select Controller.
- In the External Gamepad Settings, check the box corresponding to your controller type. For instance, if you’re using an Xbox controller, tick the box for Enable Steam Input for Xbox Controllers. If you have a generic controller, select Enable Steam Input for Generic Controllers.
After this, exit the settings and navigate to your Library in the top menu.
- Locate the game you intend to play with your controller, right-click on it, and choose Properties.
- From the left-hand menu, select Controllers. On the right, you’ll see options for Use Default Settings or Disable Steam Input. Change this to Enable Steam Input.
- Finally, restart your PC to ensure your settings are saved.
And that’s all there is to it! Your controller should now be ready to use for the specified Steam game. You can easily repeat this setup process for any other games you want to play with your controller.
